Meter.



No. 727,606. I PATENTED MAY 12, 1903. W. G. FISH;

METER.

- APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1902.

1 0 MODEL.

Witnesses. Inventor. V%Zl9% QZ/M Walter c. Fish.

(W I b UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

1 PATENT OFFICE.

\VALTER O. FISH, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS: ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC JOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters'Patent No. 727,606, dated May 12, 1903. Application filed September 24, 1902. Serial No. 124,648. Ila model.)

Z'o all rail/om, it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VALTER O. FISH, a citizen of the United States, residing at-Iiynn, in

the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Im-' provements in Meters, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved means for relieving the pressure exerted against their bearings by shafts, such as the vertical shafts in meters.

In electric meters of the ordinary construction the armature-shaft is vertically disposed. Owing to the accurate operation required of these meters, it is desirable that the friction between the shaft and its bearings be made as light as possible. In order to decrease this friction, I employa symmetrical currentcarrying coil in conjunction with an electromagnet system for the purpose of reducing the pressure between the shaft and its journal. One ofthese members is carried by the armature-shaft and the other by the frame of the meter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, with parts in section, showing one embodiment of'my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of my invention.

The casing of a wattmeter of ordinary construction is shown at 1, in which the vertical shaft '2, which carries the armature 3, is mounted.

4. represents the field-coils of the meter. A disk 5 and magnets 6, of the ordinary construction, for retarding the movement of the armature, are shown. At the top of the easing is placed an electromagnet 7. This electromagnet is formed like aninverted cup, the bottom 8 of which is circular and forms the yoke of the electromagnet. Rising from the bottom at the center is the core 9, which is cylindrical in form and carries at its top the enlarged cylindrical dish-shaped pole-piece 10. Between the cylindrical enlargement 10 and the bottom 8 is wound thecoil 11 for em ergizing the electromagnet. The sides of the cup are turned in, so thata portion 12, which is annular in shape, is in the same plane with the cylindrical enlargement 10. The magnetic flux of the elcctromagnet passes, therefore, in substantially-radial directions tween the center of the cylindrical portion 10 and the inner surface of the extension 12.

Carried at the upper end of the armatureshaft2 is an annular coil 13. This coil is symmetrically wound and is so placed as to lie in a horizontal plane between the cylindrical portion 10 and the inner extension 12 of the magnet 7. Arms 14 are clamped or secured to the armature-shaft 2 in any desirable manner and support at their outer ends the coil 13. suitable manner-as, for instance, by being mounted on a cross-arm 16, carried by the casing-contact with slip-rings 17, which are carried by the armatureshaft 2. rings convey current to the coil 13, and the brushes 15 receive current from any suitable source.

. Preferably the current which energizes the coil 13 is the potential-current of the watt-meter, and the brushes, connections, coil, &c., form part of the resistance in the potentialcircuit. The coil 11 may also beincluded in this circuit, if desired. I have not thought it necessary toillustrate in the drawings the details of the connections between the coil 13 and the slip-ring 17 nor between the brushes 15 and the potential-circuit of the meter, A recess 18 may be formed in theend of the cylindrical portion 10, if desired, in which the'upper end of the shaft 2 may be guided.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 the iron core 7 corresponding to the electromagnet 7 in Fig. 1, is carried by the armature-shaft, and the coil 13 is carried by the casing.

the member 7 has been dispensed with. This member may be made a permanent magnet or thecoil 13 may be so proportioned as to energize the member 7.

If the coils are properly proportioned and locatedfthe passage of current through them will in either case tend to raise the armatureshaft. A variation of the amount of current passed through the coils will have, however, but slight effect on the displacement given to the shaft, as a very slight elevation of the coil in Fig. 1 or the member 7 in Fig. 2 will Brushes 15, supported in any- These slip-' In this constructionthe separate energizing-coil for lift them out of the position of strongest effect upon the other members in that connection.

With my'invention there is little liability of trouble due to any side strain, as the coil can be wound in a very symmetrical manner and as any slight imperfection in proportioning will have but very little influence in producing side strain. Another advantage of my construction is the: practical absence of hysteresis.

While I have described the members 7 and 7' as being annular in form, this construction is not absolutely necessary.

My invention, while particularly useful in connection with meters, is not limited to use What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1-. In combination, casing or support, a shaft mounted therein, pressure relieving means for the shaft comprising a magnetic flux-directing member having two pole-pieces, and a current-carrying coil member located between the pole-pieces of theflux-directing member, one of said members being. carried by the casing and the other by the shaft.

2. The combination witha supporting memher and a member to be supported, of a pressure-relieving device comprising a magnetic flux-directing member, and a current-carryiug coil so located as to be acted upon by the flux directed by said member, the flux-directing member being carriedby one of said members and the current-carrying coil by the other member. i

3. The combination with aanetercomprising a frame, a shaft journaled therein, acurrent-coil andaa potential-coil, of electromagnetic lilGtHSizfOI' relieving the pressure between the shaft and the frame energized by the current passing through the potential-coil.

4. The combination with an electric meter having a frame and a shaft jonrnaled therein and a current-carrying coil, ofelectromagnetic means; for relieving the pressure between said shaft and frame energized by the current passing through saidcoil.

5. In combination, a frame member, a shaft member supported thereby, means for maintaining a horizontal magnetic flux, carried by one of said members, and a horizontal cur- .rent-carryingcoil mounted on the other'memher in position to be acted on by said'flux.

6. In combination, a casing or support, a vertical shaft'monnred therein, pressure-relieving means for the shaft comprising a magand a current-carrying coil member located between the pole-pieces-o'f the fiux-directing member, one ,of said. members being carried by the casing and, the other by the shaft.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of;September,1902.

DUGALD McK MCKILLOP, HENRY O. 'WESTENDARP. 

